Vehicle consist configuration control

ABSTRACT

A communication device includes an analog connector onboard a vehicle in a vehicle system that is coupled with a multiple unit (MU) cable extending through the vehicle system for communication of analog control signals. The device includes a network connector disposed onboard the first vehicle to communicatively couple with a digital communication network of the vehicle system that is separate from the MU cable. The device also includes a relay to close and conductively couple the control system of the first vehicle with the MU cable and to open to decouple a portion of the MU cable disposed onboard the first vehicle with a remainder of the MU cable that is off-board the first vehicle.

FIELD

Aspects of the inventive subject matter described herein generallyrelate to communications between propulsion-generating vehicles and,more particularly, to communication between propulsion-generatingvehicles in a vehicle system (also referred to herein as a vehicleconsist). Aspects of the inventive subject matter also relate to datacommunications, such as data communications in a vehicle system.

BACKGROUND

A vehicle or locomotive “consist” or system is a group of two or morevehicles (e.g., locomotives) that are mechanically coupled or linkedtogether to travel along a route. Trains may have one or more locomotiveconsists. The vehicles can be interconnected electrically by multipleunit (“MU”) trainlines or MU cables so that an operator in one vehiclecan remotely control operation of the other vehicles. For example,freight trains are often hauled by multiple locomotive ensembles(“consists”) placed together at the front or rear of the train ordispersed among the freight cars. A single crew at the front of thetrain coordinates all of the locomotive throttles and brake commands viaa connection called the multiple unit line (“MU-line”) that runs amongthe locomotives. Another example is, if the front, or lead, locomotiveis in dynamic braking operation at a specified brake level (controlledby an operator request), then all of the locomotives in the consist arealso operating in dynamic braking operation at the same specified level.As such, it should be appreciated that there may be multiple consists ina train and that these consists may be set up such that all of thelocomotives in each consist act in unison.

The currently known MU cables include a 27-pin cable that electrically(e.g., conductively) couples vehicles together to allow a single leadvehicle to command throttle settings and dynamic brake settings tomultiple trailing vehicles in the same vehicle system. This system hasseveral inherent advantages in that it is robust and simple, but alsohas several inherent drawbacks. The MU cable is a conductive pathwayextending along the length of the vehicle system. The MU cable may notprovide vehicle-to-vehicle isolation and, as a result, an electricalfault (e.g., a ground fault or wiring error) within one vehicle isexperienced by all other vehicles connected to the MU cable. Forexample, if a first vehicle experiences a ground fault, then all othervehicles connected to the same MU cable may experience the same groundfault, even if only the first vehicle is the source of the ground fault.

Additionally, there may not be any ability to identify the source ofsignals or faults along the MU cable. If a first vehicle experiences aground fault, then all other vehicles experience the same ground faultand, as a result, the location of the ground fault may not be able to beeasily determined. The feedback that can be provided (via signalscommunicated along the MU cable) from the remote vehicles may be limitedin that only a single line of the cable may be available for thisfeedback.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment of the inventive subject matter described herein, acommunication device includes an analog connector configured to bedisposed onboard a first vehicle of plural vehicles in a vehicle systemand to conductively couple with a multiple unit (MU) cable that extendsthrough and conductively couples the vehicles for communication ofanalog control signals among control systems of the vehicles via the MUcable. The device also includes a network connector configured to bedisposed onboard the first vehicle to communicatively couple with adigital communication network of the vehicle system that is separatefrom the MU cable. The device also includes a relay configured to bedisposed onboard the first vehicle to close and conductively couple thecontrol system of the first vehicle with the MU cable. The relay alsocan be configured to open to decouple a portion of the MU cable disposedonboard the first vehicle with a remainder of the MU cable that isoff-board the first vehicle. The relay can be configured to close tocommunicate the analog control signals between the control systems ofthe vehicles via the MU cable during a time period that the relay isclosed and isolate the portion of the MU cable that is onboard the firstvehicle from the remainder of the MU cable during a different timeperiod that the relay is opened.

In one embodiment, a communication system includes a first communicationdevice configured to be disposed onboard a first vehicle of pluralvehicles in a vehicle system and a second communication deviceconfigured to be disposed onboard a second vehicle of the vehicles inthe vehicle system. Each of the first and second communication devicescan include analog connectors configured to be conductively coupled witha multiple unit (MU) cable that extends through and conductively couplesthe vehicles of the vehicle system for communication of analog controlsignals among control systems of the vehicles via the MU cable. At leastone of the first or second communication devices including a networkconnector configured to be disposed onboard the first vehicle tocommunicatively couple with a digital communication network of thevehicle system that is separate from the MU cable. At least one of thefirst or second communication devices includes a relay configured toclose and conductively couple the control system of the first vehiclewith the MU cable and to open to decouple a portion of the MU cabledisposed onboard the first vehicle between the first and secondcommunication devices with a remainder of the MU cable that is off-boardthe first vehicle. The relay can be configured to close to communicatethe analog control signals between the control systems of the vehiclesvia the MU cable during a time period that the relay is closed andisolate the portion of the MU cable that is onboard the first vehiclefrom the remainder of the MU cable during a different time period thatthe relay is opened.

In one embodiment, a method (e.g., for communicating between vehicles)includes, responsive to activation of a communication device onboard afirst vehicle of plural vehicles in a vehicle system having a multipleunit (MU) cable extending through and conductively coupling thevehicles, opening a relay onboard the first vehicle to disconnect atleast a portion of the MU cable onboard the first vehicle from aremainder of the MU cable disposed off-board the first vehicle,receiving an analog control signal communicated via the MU cable at thefirst vehicle, and communicating the analog control signal to a controlsystem of the first vehicle as a digital control signal in order toremotely control movement of the first vehicle from another vehicle inthe vehicle system.

In one embodiment, a communication device for a first vehicle includesan analog connector configured to be disposed onboard the first vehicleand to conductively couple with a cable bus that extends through thefirst vehicle. The communication device is configured to conductivelycouple the first vehicle with one or more other vehicles of a vehiclesystem, for communication of at least analog control signals amongcontrol systems of the vehicles via the cable bus. The device also caninclude a network connector configured to be disposed onboard the firstvehicle to communicatively couple with a digital communication networkof the vehicle system that is separate from the cable bus. The devicecan include a relay configured to be disposed onboard the first vehicleand operable to a closed state and an open state. In the open state, therelay electrically disconnects a first portion of the cable bus from asecond portion of the cable bus. In the closed state, the relayelectrically connects the first portion of the cable bus to the secondportion.

In one embodiment, a communication device includes a cable bus disposedonboard a first vehicle and connected to at least one externallyaccessible analog connector to conductively couple the first vehiclewith one or more other vehicles of a vehicle system, for communicationof at least analog control signals between the vehicles via the cablebus. The device can include a network bus disposed on board the firstvehicle and connected to at least one network connector to conductivelycouple the first vehicle with the one or more other vehicles of thevehicle system, for communication of network data between the vehiclesvia the network bus. The device can include a relay electricallyconnected to the cable bus and operable to establish, in a first mode ofoperation, an electrical connection between portions of the cable bus oneither side of the relay, and in a second mode of operation, an opencircuit condition between the portions of the cable bus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the inventive subjectmatter will be more fully understood from the following detaileddescription of illustrative embodiments, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which like elements are numbered alike in theseveral Figures:

FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle system according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of a communication system shown in FIG. 1that is disposed onboard a vehicle according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates another view of the portion of the communicationsystem shown in FIG. 1 disposed onboard one of the vehicles shown inFIG. 1 according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of the communication system shown in FIG. 1disposed onboard a vehicle according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates a communication device shown in FIG. 4 according toone embodiment; and

FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a flowchart of a method forcommunicating between vehicles in a vehicle system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although example embodiments of the inventive subject matter aredescribed with respect to trains, locomotives, and other rail vehicles,embodiments of the inventive subject matter also are applicable for usewith vehicles generally, such as off-highway vehicles (e.g., vehiclesthat are not designed and/or permitted to travel on public roadways),agricultural vehicles, and/or transportation vehicles, each of which mayinclude a vehicle consist. As noted above, a vehicle consist is a groupof locomotives or other vehicles that are mechanically coupled or linkedtogether to travel along a route, with each vehicle in the consist beingadjacent to one or more other vehicles in the consist.

FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle system 100 according to one embodiment. Thevehicle system 100 includes several vehicles 102, 104 that traveltogether along a route 114. The vehicles 102, 104 may includepropulsion-generating vehicles 102 (vehicles 102A-E) and/ornon-propulsion-generating vehicles 104. The number and/or arrangement ofthe vehicles 102, 104 shown in FIG. 1 is provided merely as one example,and is not limiting on all embodiments of the inventive subject matterdescribed herein.

The vehicle system 100 may represent a train or rail vehicle consist, ormay represent other types of vehicle systems. The vehicles 102 mayrepresent locomotives and the vehicle 104 may represent rail cars orpassenger cars. Alternatively, the vehicle system 100 may representanother type of vehicle system, with the vehicles 102, 104 representingother types of vehicles. For example, the vehicles may representautomobiles, off-highway vehicles other than rail vehicles (for example,vehicles that are not designed and/or legally permitted to travel onpublic roadways), mining vehicles, or the like. The vehicles 102, 104may be mechanically coupled with each other, such as by couplers 106disposed between adjacent vehicles 102 and/or 104.

The vehicles 102 and/or 104 may include control systems 108 disposedonboard the respective vehicles 102, 104. With respect to thepropulsion-generating vehicles 102, the control systems 108 mayrepresent hardware circuitry that includes and/or is connected with oneor more processors (for example microprocessors, controllers, fieldprogrammable gate arrays, integrated circuits, application specificintegrated circuits, or other electronic logic-based devices) thatcommunicate with the propulsion systems and/or braking systems disposedonboard the vehicles 102 to control movement of the vehicles 102. Suchpropulsion systems can include engines, traction motors, or the like, inthe braking systems may include air brakes, dynamic brakes, disc brakes,or the like. With respect the vehicles 104, the control systems 108 repsin hardware circuitry that includes and/or is connected with one or moreprocessors (for example, microprocessors, controller, field programmablegate arrays, integrated circuits, application specific integratedcircuits, or other electronic logic-based devices) that communicate withthe propulsion systems, braking systems, or other systems disposedonboard the vehicles 104 to control movement of the vehicles 104.

The vehicle system 100 includes a non-network communication pathway 110that extends through and conductively couples control systems 108 ofsome or all of the vehicles 102, 104 in the vehicle system 100. In oneembodiment, the pathway 110 is an MU cable, although not all embodimentsdisclosed herein are limited to an MU cable. Non-network, analog controlsignals can be communicated between the control systems 108 via the MUcable 110, such as by communicating voltage signals (e.g., 74 volts ofdirect current or another value) along the cable 110. In one embodiment,the non-network control signals can include network data that ismodulated into the analog signal. The network data can be converted intomodulated network data for transmission over the MU cable 110. “Networkdata” refers to data that is packaged in packet form, meaning a datapacket that comprises a set of associated data bits. Each data packetmay include a data field and a network address or other address uniquelyassociated with a computer unit or other electronic component in thevehicle system. The MU cable 110 may be used in the vehicle system fortransferring non-network control information between the vehicles 102 inthe vehicle system. “Non-network” control information refers to data orother information, used in the vehicle system for control purposes,which is not packet data. In one aspect, the non-network controlinformation can be communicated as analog signals, such as analogvoltage signals that propagate along the entire length of the MU cable110. For example, a change in voltage applied to the MU cable 110 caninstruct the remote vehicles 102B-E to change to a designated throttlesetting. But, such an applied voltage may not be able to instructindividual vehicles 102B-E to have different throttle settings thanother vehicles 102B-E.

In one aspect, the pathway or MU cable 110 conducts non-network signalsin that the pathway or cable 110 conducts signals that are received byand acted upon all control systems 108 along the length of the vehiclesystem. For example, a non-network control signal communicated along theMU cable 110 may direct all remote vehicles to implement a change inoperational settings, without the control signal being addressed to anindividual remote vehicle. A network control signal, however, may becommunicated along pathways other than the MU cable 110 and be addressedto one or more individual remote vehicles so that the operationalsettings of only those addressed remote vehicles are changed accordingto the network control signal.

The vehicle system 100 includes a communication system 116 that includesthe control systems 108 disposed on two or more of the vehicles 102, atleast part of the pathway 110, and/or one or more network connections112. This communication system 116 also may include communicationdevices 200, 400 (shown in FIGS. 2 through 5) that provide the abilityfor control systems 108 to communicate analog, non-network controlsignals along the pathway 110, to digitally communicate digital, networkcontrol signals between via one or more networks formed by the networkconnections and the communication devices, and/or electrically isolatethe communication components of the control systems 108 disposed onboardthe different vehicles 102 from each other.

Two or more of the control systems 108 onboard the different vehicles102 in the vehicle system 100 may be communicatively coupled by thenetwork connection 112. The network connection 112 can represent one ormore cables or other conductive bodies that interconnect plural controlsystems 108 in a digital communication network. As one example, theconnection 112 can represent an Ethernet cable or connection betweencontrol systems 108. Not all of the control systems 108 onboard thevehicle system 100 may include network connectors and, as a result, lessthan all of the control systems 108 may be connected to the network bynetwork connections 112. Alternatively, all of the control systems 108may be connected by network connections 112. In one embodiment, anetwork connection 112 extends along the entire length of the vehiclesystem and connects two or more (or all) of the control systems 108. Forexample, an Ethernet cable or other type of communication cable mayextend along the length of the vehicle system, with two or more of thecontrol systems 108 connected with the cable (and, optionally, one ormore of the control systems 108 not connected with the cable).

The network formed the network connections 112 in the control systems108 that are interconnected by the network connections 112 may differfrom the control systems 108 that are only connected with each other viathe MU cable 110 in that the network that is formed can allow forindividual addressing of control signals to different control systems108. For example, within the network, a control signal may be addressedto an individual control system 108, two or more, but less than all,control systems 108 in the network, or to all control systems 108. Thecontrol signals may then be communicated to and received by the controlsystems 108 that are addressed by the control signals, but may not bereceived or may not be acted upon by the control systems 108 that arenot addressed by the control signal. In contrast, and as describedabove, a control signal communicated along the MU cable 110 iscommunicated to all control systems 108 without the ability toindividually address control signals to individual control systems 108.

As shown in FIG. 1, not all of the control systems 108 are connectedwith each other in the network by network connections 112. For example,the control systems 108 onboard the vehicles 102A, 102E are notconnected with each other or other control systems 108 by networkconnections 112. These control systems may only be communicativelycoupled with each other by the cable 110. The control systems 108onboard the vehicles 102B, 102C, 102D, however, are interconnected witheach other in the network by the network connections 112. The controlsystems 108 onboard the vehicles 102A, 102E may not have the componentsor capability of connecting with other control systems in a network.These types of control systems 108 may be referred to as legacy controlsystems. The control systems 108 that are able or have the components toconnect with each other in the network (the control systems 108 onboardthe vehicles 102B, 102C, 102D) may be referred to as updated orMU-updated control systems 108.

In one embodiment, the communication system 116 can include digitalnetwork connectors 204 (shown in FIG. 2) disposed on opposite ends ofone or more of the vehicles 102. The network connectors can be connectedwith network connectors onboard other vehicles 102 via networkconnections 112 in order to create one or more networks onboard thevehicle system. These network connections may be Ethernet connectionswith Ethernet connectors disposed on opposite ends of the vehicles 102.The communication system 116 may be installed on new or retrofittedvehicles 102 and can read and repeat the analog signals communicatedalong the MU cable 110 (for example, the 74 V analog control signals),but also isolate the control systems 108 onboard the vehicles 102 fromeach other. The communication system 116 can provide network connections(for example, Ethernet connections) for true digital networkcommunication capability.

The communication system 116 can operate such that, when the portion ofthe system 116 that is disposed onboard a first vehicle 102 isunpowered, the signals communicated along the MU cable 110 pass throughthe portion of the communication system 116 that is disposed onboard thefirst vehicle 102, but when the portion of the communication system 116disposed onboard the first vehicle is powered, this portion isolates thenetwork connectors on opposite ends of the first vehicle 102 from eachother and from the control system 108 onboard the first vehicle 102. Thecommunication system 116 can provide the control system 108 of a firstvehicle 102 with the control signals communicated along the MU cable 110in either a digital (for example, Ethernet) format and/or an analogvoltage signals (for example, 74 V direct current control signals).Moreover, the communication system 116 can host a network device (anEthernet over MU cable 110 device) that communicates network data overthe MU cable 110.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of the communication system 116 shown inFIG. 1 that is disposed onboard a vehicle 102 according to oneembodiment. The control system 108 is communicatively coupled withcommunication devices 200 (communication devices 200A, 200B in FIG. 2).The control system 108 may be communicatively coupled with thecommunication devices 200 by one or more wired pathways or otherconductive pathways. As shown in FIG. 2, the communication devices 200alternatively may be referred to as MU-upgrade devices 200. Thecommunication system 116 may include non-network, or MU, connectors 202(for example, connectors 202A, 202B) disposed on opposite ends of thevehicle 102. The connectors 202 may couple with portions of MU cable 110(shown in FIG. 1) that are disposed outside of the vehicle 102.Additional portions of the cable 110 may extend between the connectors202 and the communication devices 200, as shown in FIG. 2. For example,a first portion of the MU cable 110 can extend from a leading endconnector 202A to the communication device 200A, a second portion of theMU cable 110 may extend from the communication device 200A to the othercommunication device 200B, and a third portion of the MU cable 110 mayextend from the communication device 200B to the rear or trailing endconnector 202B. Control signals that are communicated along the MU cable110 from another vehicle 102 may propagate along the MU cable 110 andthrough one or more portions of the MU cable 110 disposed onboard thevehicle 102 via the connector 202A and/or 202B. The communicationdevices 200 may operate to allow the signals to propagate along andthrough the portions of the MU cable 110 that is disposed onboard thevehicle 102 to one or more other vehicles 102 in the same vehicle system100 (shown in FIG. 1).

In one aspect, the portion of the MU cable 110 that is disposed onboardthe vehicle 102 between the communication devices 200A, 200B may becommunicatively coupled with one or board onboard components (not shown)of the vehicle 102 by one or more connections 206. These connections 206can connect the MU cable 110 with components such as an onboard display,a throttle, a brake handle, an alarm, or the like. Control signalscommunicated to or from these components may propagate along the MUcable 110 to and/or from one or more other vehicles 102.

The communication devices 200 also are communicatively coupled withdigital network connectors 204 (for example, network connectors 204A,204B in FIG. 2). The network connectors 204 may represent connectorsthat can coupled with the network connections 112 shown in FIG. 1, suchas Ethernet connectors. The network connectors 204 and networkconnections 112 can establish a network that interconnects two or morecontrol systems 108 onboard different vehicles 102. The control system108 onboard a vehicle 102 may be communicatively coupled with thecommunication devices 200 of the vehicle 102 and one or more wiredand/or wireless connections to allow the control system 108 to beconnected with the network that includes the connectors 204 and networkconnections 112.

FIG. 3 illustrates another view of the portion of the communicationsystem 116 disposed onboard one of the vehicles 102 according to oneembodiment. FIG. 3 illustrates additional details of the communicationdevice 200B. The description of the components shown in FIG. 3 also mayapply to the other communication device 200A disposed onboard the samevehicle 102. For example, the illustration of the communication device200B may also represent the communication device 200A, with differencesbeing that the communication device 200B is connected to connectors202B, 204B while the communication device 200A is connected with theconnectors 202A and 204A.

The communication device 200B includes non-network communication pathway300 that interconnects portions of the cable 110 disposed onboard thevehicle 102 on opposite sides of the communication device 200B. Forexample, the pathway 300 can represent one or more wired connections(for example cables, wires, buses, or the like) that interconnects andcommunicates signals received from the portion of MU cable 110 extendingbetween the communication device 200B and the connector 202B and/orreceived from the portion of the MU cable 110 extending between thecommunication devices 200A, 200B on the same vehicle 102.

The communication device 200B also includes network transceivingcircuitry 302 (Ethernet over MU in FIG. 3) communicatively coupled withthe pathway 300. The circuitry 302 may be connected with the pathway 300to receive and/or send control signals along the MU cables 110 via thepathway 300. In one aspect, the circuitry 302 can receive analog controlsignals that are modulated with network data for communication asEthernet over MU, or eMU, signals along the MU cable 110. The circuitry302 can convert network data into modulated network data forcommunication over the MU cable 110 between the vehicles 102. Themodulated network data may be orthogonal to non-network controlinformation or signals communicated between the vehicles 102 via the MUcable 110 to avoid interference. At the vehicles 102 that receivemodulated network data, the circuitry 302 can demodulate the data foruse by components disposed onboard the vehicle 102, such as the controlsystem 108. The circuitry can include or represent one or more routertransceiver units. The term modulated can include data converted fromone form to a second, different form that is suitable for communicationover the MU cable 110. For example, prior to modulating some controlsignals, the data forming the control signals may not be suitable forcommunication via the MU cable 110. After modulating the digital networkdata into a form suitable for vacation over the mu cable 110 (forexample, analog signals) the data representing the control signal may becommunicated via the MU cable 110. The term demodulate can include theoperation of converting data from the second form back to the firstform.

The circuitry 302 can include a router transceiver unit having a networkadapter and a signal modulator. The signal modulator can be electricallyconnected to the network adapter and to the MU cable 110. The signalmodulator can be electrically connected to the MU cable 110 by way of acentral terminal board. The network adapter can be electricallyconnected to a network interface unit that is part of and/or operablyconnected to an electronic component of the vehicle 102, such as thecontrol system 108. The network adapter and network interface unit canbe electrically interconnected by a network cable. If the networkadapter and network interface unit are configured as an Ethernet localarea network, the network cable may be a CAT-5E cable (and the networkconnections 112 may be CAT-5E cables). The network adapter can receivenetwork data from the network interface unit over the network cable. Thenetwork adapter conveys the network data to the signal modulator, whichmodulates the network data into modulated network data and transmits themodulated network data over the MU cable 110. The signal modulator alsoreceives modulated network data from over the MU cable 110 andde-modulates the modulated network data into network data 16, which itthen conveys to the network adapter for transmission to the networkinterface unit. One or both of the network adapter module and the signalmodulator may perform various processing steps on the network dataand/or the modulated network data for transmission and reception bothover the MU cable 110 and/or over the network cable (to the networkinterface unit). Additionally, one both of the network adapter and thesignal modulator may perform network data routing functions.

The circuitry 302 is operably connected with a switch 304. The circuitry302 may be connected with the switch 304 by one or more wiredconnections. The switch 304 may in turn be connected with one or moreprocessors 306 (a “processor board” in FIG. 3) to the connector 204B,and the control system 108. The switch can alternate between states tocouple and/or decouple two or more of the circuitry 302, the one or moreprocessors 306, the network connector 204B, and/or the control system108. The processors 306 can represent one or more electronic logic-baseddevices, such as one or more processors, microprocessors, fieldprogrammable gate arrays, integrated circuits, application specificintegrated circuits, or other electronic logic-based devices. Theprocessors 306 perform operations of the communication system 116 and/orcommunication device 200, as described herein.

The processors 306 are operably connected with one or more outputdrivers 308 and one or more input sensors 310. The output drivers 308are operably coupled with the pathway 300 so that the output drivers 308can generate and apply an analog signal, such as an analog voltagesignal, to the pathway 300 for communication along the MU cable 110 toone or more other vehicles 102. In one aspect, the output drivers 308can represent 74 volt direct current output drivers that can generate asignal having a 74 volt direct current on the pathway 300 forcommunication along the MU cable 110.

The input sensors 310 represent one or more sensors that can sense ananalog voltage signal conducted along the pathway 300 from the MU cable110. For example, the input sensors 310 can detect whether or not a 74volt direct current signal (or other type a signal) is conducted alongthe pathway 300 from the MU cable 110 (e.g., from another vehicle 102).The input sensors 310 can represent one or more voltage-sensitivedevices, such as a voltmeter or other device. Based on detection of theanalog control signals communicated along the pathway 300, theprocessors 306 can determine whether not a control signal is beingcommunicated from another vehicle 102. In response to determining thatsuch a signal is being communicated from another vehicle 102, theprocessors 306 can communicate the signal and/or generate other signals(for example, a digital signal representative of the analog signal) tothe control system 108 via the switch 304 for implementation by thecontrol system 108. For example, if an analog signal communicated alongthe MU cable 110 from another vehicle 102 instructs the control system108 to change a throttle setting, then the processors 306 can detect thesignal via the input sensors 310, and instruct the control system 108 tochange the throttle setting of the vehicle 102 accordingly.

With respect to the output drivers 308, the processors 306 can directthe output drivers 308 to generate and apply voltage to the pathway 300to create an analog voltage control signal for conduction along the MUcable 110 to one or more other vehicles 102. For example, the controlsystem 108 may be used by an operator or other system to remotely changea throttle brake setting of another vehicle 102. The control system 108may generate a signal that is communicated to the processors 306 via theswitch 304 to implement this remote control. Responsive to receiving thesignal from the control system 108, the processors 306 can direct theoutput drivers 308 to apply an appropriate and representative analogsignal to the pathway 300 for conduction along the MU cable 110 as ananalog voltage control signal to the vehicles 102 that are beingremotely controlled. In one aspect, the output drivers 308 optionallymay be connected by one or more communication pathways 314 (e.g., wires,cables, or the like) with other components onboard the vehicle 102 foralarm functions and the like. For example, a sensor, input device, orthe like onboard the vehicle 102 may be used to generate alarm signal.Responsive to generation of the alarm signal, the output drivers 308 maygenerate a corresponding analog voltage signal on the pathway 300 forconduction along the MU cable 110 to one or more other vehicles 102.

The switch 304 also can be connected to the network connector 204B. Thisconnection can allow for the control system 108 to communicate digitalnetwork signals to one or more other vehicles 102 via the networkconnector 204B and the network connections 112 shown in FIG. 1. Forexample, if the communication device 200B is communicatively coupledwith another communication device disposed onboard another vehicle 102by a network connection 112, then the control system 108 can communicate(send and/or receive) network control signals via the switch 304, thenetwork connector 204, and the network connection 112. The networkformed from the communication devices and network connections may allowfor data packets, such as Internet protocol data packets, to beindividually addressed to individual or different communication deviceswithin the network. This is in contrast the communication of controlsignals along the MU cable 110, which would be communicated to allvehicles 102 and/or control systems 108 connected with MU cable 110.

A power supply 312 can be coupled with one or more power sources (notshown in FIG. 3) to power one or more components of the communicationdevice 200. For example, the power supply 312 can a connector thatconnects with one or more batteries, alternators, generators, or thelike, and and/or may represent a battery of the communication device200. The power supply 312 can supply voltage and/or current to one ormore of the components of the communication device 200 shown in FIG. 3.

The communication device 200 includes a relay 314. The relay 314 canrepresent one or more switches, contactors, or the like, that arecontrolled to allow or prevent non-network signals from beingcommunicated along the MU cable 110 extending through the vehicle (suchas the portion of the MU cable 110 extending for the communicationdevice 200A to the communication device 200B). As shown in FIG. 3, thecommunication system 116 can include two of the communication devices200 disposed on opposite ends of a vehicle 102. During time periods thatthe communication devices 200 on the vehicle 102 are on (for example,powered via the power supplies 312), the relays 314 in one or both ofthe communication devices 200 can open to interrupt a connection betweenthe MU cable 110 and the control system 108. This interruption canprevent electric signals, such as analog or non-network control signals,to be conveyed between the communication devices 200 along the portionof MU cable 110 that extends between the communication devices 200A, 200B onboard the same vehicle 102. As a result, one or both of thecommunication device 200 receives the non-network signal, but the signalwill not be conducted between the communication devices 200 along theportion of the MU cable 110 that extends between the communicationdevices 200. Instead, the non-network signal can be detected by thecircuitry 302 and/or the input sensors 310 and communicated to thecontrol system 108 for implementation by the control system 108.Optionally, such a signal may be detected and/or processed by thecircuitry 302 and communicated to the processors 306 via the switch 304.The processors 306 can convey the signal to one or more other componentsof the vehicle 102 and/or generate another non-network signal forcommunication along MU cable 110 via the output drivers 308.

During time periods that the communication devices 200 are deactivatedor turned off, the relays 314 can close such that the communicationdevices 200 are communicatively coupled with each other by the portionof MU cable 110 extending between the communication devices 200 onboardthe same vehicle 102. As a result, a signal received by a connector 202along the MU cable 110 from outside of the vehicle 102 will be conductedand conveyed along the portions of MU cable 110 onboard the vehicle 102between the communication devices 200. This can allow for these controlsignals to propagate along the length of MU cable 110 and to othervehicles 102 in the vehicle system. This can be useful in instanceswhere control signals are being communicated along MU cable 110 tovehicles 102 that may not include the communication device 200 and/orotherwise are receiving control signals along the MU cable 110.

FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of the communication system 116 disposedonboard a vehicle 102 according to one embodiment. In contrast to theportion of the communication system 116 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, theportion of the communication system 116 disposed onboard the vehicle 102shown in FIG. 4 may include a single communication device 400.Alternatively, the vehicle 102 can include two or more of thecommunication devices 400 shown in FIG. 4. The communication device 400may be connected with portions of MU cable 110 disposed onboard thevehicle 102 between the MU connector 202A and the communication device400, and between the connector 202B and the communication device 400.The communication device 400 also may be connected with the networkconnectors 204A, 204B for connection with one or more networks formed bythe communication device 400 and one or more other communication devices200 and/or 400 described herein. The communication device 400 optionallymay be connected with one or more additional components by communicationpathways 206 (e.g., wires, cables, etc.).

In operation, non-network signals that are communicated along the MUcable 110 and received via the connector 202A or 202B are communicatedto the communication device 400 along the respective portion of MU cable110 disposed onboard the vehicle 102 shown in FIG. 4. The communicationdevice 400 may receive and/or process the non-network signals forimplementation by the control system 108 and/or one or more otherdevices or components disposed onboard the vehicle 102. Optionally, thecommunication device 400 can receive digital network signals via thenetwork connector 204A, 204B. The communication device 400 maycommunicate the signals to control system 108 and/or one or more othercomponents disposed onboard the vehicle 102. In one embodiment, thecommunication device 400 may receive analog, non-network signals alongthe MU cable 110 and convert the non-network signals to digital networksignals that are communicated through the network of the communicationdevices via the network connectors 204 and network connections 112 shownin FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates the communication device 400 shown in FIG. 4according to one embodiment. Similar to the communication device 200shown in FIG. 3, the communication device 400 is connected with MUconnectors 202 by portions of the MU cable 110 disposed onboard thevehicle 102. The communication device 400 also is connected with thenetwork connectors 204. In contrast the communication device 200 that isconnected only one of the network connectors 204B, the communicationdevice 400 is connected to both the network connectors 204A, 204 B inthe illustrated embodiment.

The communication device 400 includes the input sensor 310, the outputdriver 308, the one or more processors 306, the switch 304, thecircuitry 302, and the power supply 312 described above. Thecommunication device 400 also includes relays 402, 404. Each of therelays 402, 404 may be the same as the relay 314 shown in FIG. 3, or oneor more of the relays 402, 404 may be a different relay than the relay314 shown in FIG. 3. The communication device 400 optionally may includeseveral communication pathways 406 to components onboard the vehicle102, such as alarms, output devices, sensors, or the like. The pathways406 can represent one or more wired connections between the pathway 300in the communication device 400 and the components of the vehicle. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the connections 406 are coupled with thepathway 300 between the relays 402, 404.

In operation, and similar to the communication device 200 shown in FIG.3, the communication device 400 can communicate non-network signals withone or more other vehicles 102 along MU cable 110 and may communicatenetwork signals with one or more other communication devices onboardother vehicles 102 via the network connections 112 and the networkconnectors 204. For example, when the communication device 400 isactivated, one or both of the relays 402, 404 may be opened such thatthe connection with the MU cable 110 is interrupted and non-networksignals communicated to the communication device 400 along the MU cable110 do not propagate through the communication device 400 along thepathway 300 from the connector 202A to the connector 202B or from theconnector 202B to the connector 202A for propagation to one or moreother communication devices 200, 400 onboard one or more other vehicles102. Instead, a non-network signal that is received by the communicationdevice 400 may be conducted along the pathway 300 and detected by thecircuitry 302 and/or the input sensors 310. As described above inconnection with communication device 200, this non-network signal may bereceived, sensed, demodulated, and/or otherwise processed by thecircuitry 302 and/or input sensors 310 before being communicated to thecontrol system 108, the one or more processors 306, and/or the drivers308. With respect to network signals, the signals may be received bycommunication device 400 via one or more of the connectors 204 and becommunicated to one or more of the processors 306 and/or control system108, as described above.

During time periods that the communication device 400 is inactive orturned off, the relays 402, 404 may be closed so that non-networksignals received by the connector 202A or 202B may be communicated alongthe pathway 300 through the closed relays 402, 404 to one or moreonboard components of the vehicle 102 via the pathways 406 and/or alongthe cable 110 to one or more other vehicles 102, as described above.

The communication devices 200, 400 can allow for isolation of faults orother errors occurring within a control system 108 of the vehicle 102and/or one or more other components onboard the vehicle 102. Forexample, if a fault occurs onboard the control system 108 of the vehicle102 having the control device 200 shown in FIG. 3, the relays 314 on thecommunication devices 200A, 200B may be opened to prevent the fault (forexample, a ground fault) from propagating along the MU cable 110 to oneor more other vehicles 102. The processors 306 can open or close therelays 314 in response to the fault occurring. With respect to thecommunication device 400, the processors 306 can open the relays 402,404 to prevent a fault of the control system 108 from propagating alongMU cable 110 to one or more other vehicles 102. In one aspect,responsive to detecting a fault, one or more processors 306 of thecommunication devices 200, 400 may communicate a network fault signalvia one or more of the network connections 112 to another communicationdevice, or an output device, in order to notify an operator of thevehicle system of the location of the fault, to change operation of thevehicle system (for example, slow or stop movement of the vehiclesystem), to notify an offboard location of the fault (for example,provide notice to a dispatch facility or scheduling facility in order toautomatically schedule repair, inspection, and/or maintenance of thecommunication system 116 at an upcoming stop), etc.

The communication devices 200, 400 can be installed on new vehicles 102and/or retrofitted to existing vehicles 102 to allow for reading andrepeating non-network signals communicated along an MU cable 110 of avehicle system (e.g., 74V analog control signals), but also to allow forcommunicatively and electrically isolating the vehicles 102 from eachother. The communication devices 200, 400 provide network connectionswith each other (e.g., Ethernet connections) for additional digitalcommunications. When the communication devices 200, 400 are unpowered,the non-network signals can pass through the communication devices 200,400 un-interrupted to other communication devices 200, 400 disposedonboard other vehicles 102 without repeating or otherwise processing thesignals. When the communication devices 200, 400 are powered (e.g.,turned on), the communication devices 200, 400 can isolate the MUconnectors 202A, 202B onboard the same vehicle 102 from each other andthe control system 108 onboard the same vehicle 102. Isolating theconnectors 202A, 202B can include preventing communication of signalsfrom one connector 202A or 202B to the other connector 202B or 202A.Isolating the connectors 202A, 202B from the control system 108 caninclude preventing communication of signals from the connectors 202A,202B to the control system 108 and preventing communication of signalsfrom the control system 108 to the connectors 202A, 202B.

The communication device 200, 400 can communicate the non-networksignals received via the MU cable 110 to the control system 108 of thevehicle 102 on which the communication device 200, 400 is located in adigital (network) format, or in an analog (non-network) format. Forexample, the data represented by a non-network signal received via theMU cable 110 can be obtained by the circuitry 302 and provided to thecontrol system 108 via the switch 304 without changing the signal to adigital format. Or, the data represented by the non-network signalreceived via the MU cable 110 can be sensed by the input sensors 310 andconverted into a digital signal by the processors 306 beforecommunicating the digital signal to the control system 108. Thecommunication devices 200, 400 also may communicate digital networksignals via the network connectors 204 and network connections 112.

Some vehicle systems 100 may operate in distributed power (DP) setups,where a lead vehicle 102 remotely controls operations (e.g., throttlesettings and/or brake settings) of other vehicles 102 (referred to asremote vehicles 102) in the same vehicle system 100. In one example ofoperation of such as DP vehicle system 100, the communication devices200 or communication device 400 onboard the lead vehicle 102 can, uponactivation, determine if the communication devices 200 or 400 onboardthe lead vehicle 102 are connected with the MU cable 110 in the vehiclesystem 100 (e.g., via the connectors 202). If such a connection isdetected, the communication device 200, 400 can interrupt the connectionby opening the relay 314 or relays 402, 404, which thereby isolates thecommunication device 200, 400 and the control system 108 of the leadvehicle 102 from the MU cable 110.

The control system 108 of the lead vehicle 102 can generate andcommunicate control signals to the communication device 200, 400 of thelead vehicle 102. The communication device 200, 400 can then apply thecontrol signals as analog, non-network signals to the MU cable 110(e.g., via the circuitry 302) for communication to the remote vehicles102 along the MU cable 110. Optionally, the communication device 200,400 can generate analog control signals based on the control signalsfrom the control system 108 using the processors 306 and the outputdrivers 308 to communicate the analog signals to the remote vehicles 102via the MU cable 110. Optionally, the communication device 200, 400 cangenerate digital control signals based on the control signals from thecontrol system 108 using the processors 306 and communicate the digitalsignals to the remote vehicles 102 via the network connections 112. Thecommunication device 200, 400 (e.g., the processors 306) also may lookfor error states, such as voltages on the MU cable 110 that are notbeing conveyed along the MU cable 110 as control signals, ground faults,etc. The processors 306 may communicate status signals to output devicesonboard the lead vehicle 102 and/or other vehicles 102, record (e.g.,log) the state of the data in the control signals communicated to remotevehicles 102 by the communication device 200, 400, etc.

Onboard a remote vehicle 102, the communication device 200, 400 candetermine if a connection to the MU cable 110 is present via one or moreof the connectors 202. If a connection is present, the communicationdevice 200, 400 can interrupt the connection by opening the relay 314,402, 404, as described above. The communication device 200, 400 canreceive non-network control signals along the MU cable 110 from thecommunication device of the lead vehicle 102 and convey the controlsignals to the control system 108 of the remote vehicle 102 where thecommunication device 200, 400 is located. The communication device 200,400 additionally may communicate the same control signals to otherremote vehicles 102 along the MU cable 110 (e.g., using the circuitry302 and/or drivers 308).

The communication device 200, 400 (e.g., the processors 306) also maylook for error states, such as voltages on the MU cable 110 that are notbeing conveyed along the MU cable 110 as control signals, ground faults,etc. The processors 306 may communicate status signals to output devicesonboard the remote vehicle 102 and/or other vehicles 102, record (e.g.,log) the state of the data in the control signals communicated to leadvehicle 102 by the communication device 200, 400, etc.

The communication devices 200, 400 also may support a higher speedcommunication path via the network connections 112 between thecommunication devices 200, 400 relative to communication of thenon-network signals along the MU cable 110. The location of thecircuitry 302 in the communication devices can provide the communicationdevices 200, 400 with higher data rates relative to communication alongthe MU cable 110, and may improve isolation from onboard sources ofnoise compared to the communication of signals via the MU cable 110 dueto shorter runs of the network connections 112 relative to the MU cable110.

The processors 306 disposed onboard the remote vehicles can examineoperation of the control systems 108 of the remote vehicles and theportions of the communication system 116 onboard the remote vehicles inorder to identify faults. These faults may include ground faults,significant electric noise, failure of components, etc. Responsive toidentifying a fault on a remote vehicle, the one or more processors 306onboard the remote vehicle can communicate a signal (e.g., along the MUcable 110 or network connections 112) to the lead vehicle in order tonotify the lead vehicle that the remote vehicle is experiencing a fault.This can allow for the control system 108 onboard the lead vehicle toidentify locations of faults along the vehicle system and to notify anoperator of the fault locations.

FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of the flowchart of a method 600 forcommunicating between vehicles in a vehicle system. The method 600 maybe performed by one or more components of the communication system 116shown in FIG. 1. For example, operations described in connection withthe flowchart shown in FIG. 6 may represent an algorithm used to dictateor direct operations (whether the operations be autonomously performedwithout intervention from an operator or at least partially manuallyimplemented by an operator controlling one or more components of thesystem 116) by one or more the communication devices 200, 400 shown inFIGS. 2 through 5.

At 602, a determination is made as to whether or not the communicationdevice is activated. This determination may be made as to whether or notthe communication device 200, 400 disposed onboard one or more of thevehicles is powered on and activated. The communication devices may beinactive when the vehicle on which the communication device is disposedalso is deactivated or is operating at idle (for example, not producingtractive effort or breaking effort to modifier control movement of thevehicle system). If the communication device onboard a vehicle is notactivated, then flow of the method 600 may proceed to 604. On the otherhand, if the communication device is activated, flow of the method 600may proceed toward 606.

At 604, the connection to an MU cable that extends through the vehiclesystem may be maintained through the communication device that isdeactivated. For example, the relays 314, 402, 404 of the communicationdevices 200, 400 onboard the vehicle may be kept or switched to a closedposition. When the relays are closed, the pathways 300 extending throughthe communication devices 200, 400 interconnect the portions of the MUcable 110 extending through the vehicle and can continue to conduct orotherwise convey non-network control signals that are communicated alongthe MU cable 110 along the length of the vehicle system 100. Subsequentto the operations described in connection with 604, flow of the method600 may return to 602. For example, the method 600 may proceed in aloop-wise manner between 602 and 604 until the communication device ordevices onboard a vehicle is activated. Alternatively, flow of themethod 600 may terminate subsequent to 604.

At 606, the MU cable connection extending through the vehicle isinterrupted. For example, in response to determining that thecommunication device onboard a vehicle is activated, one or more of therelays 314, 402, 404 in the communication device 200, 400 may be opened.Opening the relays prevents non-network control signals from beingcommunicated through the vehicle along the pathway 300 in thecommunication device 200, 400. As a result, if a control signal iscommunicated to the communication device along the MU cable 110, thesignal cannot propagate through the communication device to anotherportion of the MU cable 110 or to another vehicle in the same vehiclesystem without first being processed as described herein by thecommunication device 200, 400 that interrupted the connection with theMU cable 110.

Depending on whether the communication device is onboard a lead vehicleor a remote vehicle in the vehicle system, flow of the method 600 mayproceed from 606 toward 608 or 620. In one embodiment, if thecommunication device is disposed onboard a lead vehicle in the vehiclesystem that is operating in a distributed power state, flow of themethod may proceed from 606 toward 608. On the other hand, if thecommunication device is disposed onboard a remote vehicle in the vehiclesystem, then flow the method may proceed from 606 toward 620.

At 608, the communication device onboard the lead vehicle obtains acontrol signal from a control system onboard the same lead vehicle. Thiscontrol signal can be communicated from the control system 108 to theprocessors 306 via the switch 304. The control signal may dictateoperational settings to be implemented by one or more of the remotevehicles in the vehicle system. For example, the control signal candictate throttle settings, brake settings, speeds, or the like, ofdifferent remote vehicles. The control signal communicated from thecontrol system 108 may be a digital signal. For example, the signal maybe arranged in an Internet protocol format, with data packets includingdifferent portions of data in the control signal.

At 610, an analog control signal is generated and communicated along theMU cable to one or more of the remote vehicles and/or a digital controlsignal is communicated to one or more the remote vehicles along anetwork connection from the communication device. With respect to theanalog control signal, the control signal received by the one or moreprocessors 306 via the switch 304 may be used to generate an analogsignal, such as a voltage signal, that is applied to the pathway 300 ofthe communication device. The one or more processors 306 can control theoutput drivers 308 to create the analog control signal and communicatethe analog control signal along the communication pathway 300. Theanalog control signal may then be communicated from the pathway 300 toone or more portions of the MU cable 110 disposed onboard the leadvehicle and to a remainder of the MU cable 110 disposed outside of thelead vehicle via the MU connector 202. With respect to a digital controlsignal, the control signal from the control system 108 may becommunicated to the network connector 204 via the switch 304. Thedigital control signal sent from the control system 108 may be conveyedthrough the switch 304 to the network connector 204 be shown in FIGS. 3and 5, and may then be communicated to one or more other vehicles viaone or more network connections 112 shown in FIG. 1.

At 612, a determination is made as to whether or not a signal isdetected along the MU cable. For example, the one or more processors 306may monitor the input sensors 310 to determine if an analog voltagesignal is detected along the pathway 300 from the MU cable 110 and theMU connector 202 onboard the lead vehicle. The signal can represent aresponsive message from a remote vehicle, such as an alarm, aconfirmation signal, or the like. The input sensors 310 can measure themagnitude and/or changes of the voltage signal on the pathway 300 andcommunicate this information to the one or more processors 306. The oneor more processors 306 can examine the voltages measured on the pathway300 to determine if these voltages represent a signal from the remotevehicle, or noise on the pathway 300 or the MU cable 110. If the voltageis detected on the pathway 300 does represent a signal communicated fromthe remote vehicle, then flow the method can proceed toward 614. On theother hand, if no voltages are detected on the pathway 300 or if thevoltages detected on the pathway 300 do not represent a signalcommunicated from a remote vehicle, then flow the method 600 can proceedtoward 616.

At 614, one or more operations may be performed to implement the signalreceived via the MU cable 110 in the pathway 300. For example, if thesignal represents an alarm communicated from a remote vehicle, the leadvehicle (for example, the control system 108 onboard the lead vehicle)may notify an operator of the lead vehicle, automatically communicate asignal to an offboard location (for example, a dispatch facility, arepair facility, or the like, in order to schedule repair, inspection,or maintenance of the remote vehicle), to cause the control system 108to autonomously shut down or otherwise change operation of the remotevehicle, or the like.

At 616, a determination is made as to whether or not a fault is detectedalong the MU cable. For example, the one or more processors 306 onboarda communication device of the lead vehicle can monitor voltages and/orchanges in voltages conducted along the MU cable 110 into the pathway300. If the voltages indicate a fault or other problem, such as agrounding fault of MU cable 110, significant electric noise conductedalong the MU cable 110, or the like, then a fault may be detected by theone or more processors 306 onboard the lead vehicle. As a result, flowof the method 600 can proceed toward 618. If no fault is detected,however, flow of the method may return toward 608 so that one or moreadditional control signals may be obtained from the control system 108for remote control of the remote vehicles from the lead vehicle.

At 618, one or more remedial actions may be implemented. For example,responsive to detecting the fault at 616, the lead vehicle (for example,the communication device onboard the lead vehicle) may communicate asignal to the remote vehicle associated with or the cause of the faultand direct the remote vehicle to disconnect the portion of thecommunication system 116 onboard the remote vehicle from thecommunication system 116.

As one example, if a ground fault is detected onboard a remote vehicle,the communication device 200, 400 disposed onboard the lead vehicle maycommunicate a signal to the communication device 200, 400 onboard theremote vehicle and direct the communication device 200, 400 on theremote vehicle to open the relays 314, 402, 404 in order to disconnectthe portion of the MU cable 110 disposed onboard the remote vehicle froma remainder of the MU cable of the vehicle system. Optionally, thecommunication device 200, 400 onboard the lead vehicle may output one ormore output signals to an output device, such as a display, speaker, orthe like in order to notify an operator of the lead vehicle of thedetected fault. Optionally, the communication device 200, 400 onboardthe remote vehicle may detect the fault and interrupt the connection ofthe control system 108 of the remote vehicle from the MU cable 110. Flowof the method 600 may return toward 608.

With respect to the remote vehicles, at 620, a control signal isreceived by the remote vehicle. The control signal may be received asnon-network, or analog, control signal received via one or more of theconnectors 202 along the MU cable 110. This analog control signal may besensed by the input sensors 310 of the communication device 200, 400onboard the remote vehicle. The sensed signal may be communicated to theone or more processors 306 from the input sensors 310. The one or moreprocessors 306 may identify the instructions included in the controlsignal and communicate these instructions to the control system 108 viathe switch 304. Optionally, the circuitry 302 can detect the dataincluded in the analog control signal conducted to the pathway 300 alongthe MU cable 110, and communicate this information to the control system108 via the switch 304. With respect to digital control signals, thedigital control signal may be received by the control system 108 via thenetwork connection 112, the network connector 204, and the switch 304.

At 622, the received control signals are communicated to the controlsystem of the remote vehicle. If the control signal is an analog controlsignal received along the MU cable in the pathway 300, the circuitry 302may communicate the control signal or the data in the control signal tothe control system 108 of the remote vehicle via the switch 304. If thecontrol signal is a digital control signal received from a networkconnection 112 via the network connector 204, the control signal may becommunicated to the control system 108 via the switch 304.

At 624, the control signal is implemented by the control system of theremote vehicle. The control signal may dictate one or more operationalsettings for the remote vehicle to use in moving along a route.Responsive to receiving the signal, the control system 108 may change athrottle setting, a brake setting, a speed, or other operationalsetting, or may direct an operator to change the operational setting ofthe remote vehicle accordingly.

At 626, a determination is made as to whether or not one or moreadditional remote vehicles are in the vehicle system. For example, ifthe remote vehicle that received the control signal is between the leadvehicle and one or more other remote vehicles, then the remote vehiclemay need to communicate the received control signal to one or moreadditional remote vehicles. The lead vehicle may communicate the controlsignal via the MU cable so that multiple remote vehicles receive thecontrol signal. Because the communication device onboard the remotevehicle that received the control signal may have interrupted MU cableconnection, however, the communication device on the remote vehicle mayneed to communicate the control signal to one or more additional remotevehicles. If there are additional remote vehicles in the vehicle system,flow of the method can proceed toward 628. If, on the other hand, thereare no additional remote vehicles (the remote vehicle is the last of theremote vehicles or is the only remote vehicle) that flow of the method600 can proceed toward 630.

At 628, the control signal is communicated to one or more additionalremote vehicles. The communication device 200, 400 may communicate tocontrol signal received from the lead vehicle as an analog controlsignal along the pathway 300 and MU cable 110 to the additional remotevehicle or vehicles. For example, the one or more processors 306 maydirect the output drivers 308 to apply voltages to the pathway 300 toform the analog control signal. The signal may then be communicatedalong the MU cable 110 via the MU connector 202 to the one or moreadditional remote vehicles. With respect to digital control signals, thecontrol signal may be communicated to one or more additional remotevehicles via the network connector 204 and one or more networkconnections 112.

At 630, a determination is made as to whether or not a fault is detectedalong the MU cable or elsewhere in the control system and/orcommunication device of the remote vehicle. For example, the one or moreprocessors 306 onboard a communication device of the remote vehicle canmonitor voltages and/or changes in voltages conducted along the MU cable110 into the pathway 300, along the pathway 300, or elsewhere in thecontrol system 108 and communication device. If the voltages indicate afault or other problem, such as a grounding fault of MU cable 110,significant electric noise conducted along the MU cable 110, or thelike, that a fault may be detected by the one or more processors 306onboard the remote vehicle. As a result, flow of the method 600 canproceed toward 632. If no fault is detected, however, flow of the methodmay return toward 620 so that one or more additional control signals maybe received.

At 632, one or more remedial actions may be implemented. For example,responsive to detecting the fault, the remote vehicle (for example, thecommunication device onboard the lead vehicle) may communicate a signalto the lead vehicle and/or disconnect the portion of the communicationsystem 116 onboard the remote vehicle from the communication system 116.As one example, if the ground fault is detected onboard the remotevehicle, the communication device 200, 400 disposed onboard the remotevehicle may open the relays 314, 402, 404 onboard the remote vehicle inorder to disconnect the portion of the MU cable 110 disposed onboard theremote vehicle from a remainder of the MU cable 110. Optionally, thecommunication device 200, 400 onboard the remote vehicle may communicatea signal to the lead vehicle to cause the lead vehicle to output one ormore output signals to an output device, such as a display, speaker, orthe like in order to notify an operator of the lead vehicle of thedetected fault. Flow of the method 600 may return toward 620.

In one embodiment of the inventive subject matter described herein, acommunication device includes an analog connector configured to bedisposed onboard a first vehicle of plural vehicles in a vehicle systemand to conductively couple with a multiple unit (MU) cable that extendsthrough and conductively couples the vehicles for communication ofanalog control signals among control systems of the vehicles via the MUcable. The device also includes a network connector configured to bedisposed onboard the first vehicle to communicatively couple with adigital communication network of the vehicle system that is separatefrom the MU cable. The device also includes a relay configured to bedisposed onboard the first vehicle to close and conductively couple thecontrol system of the first vehicle with the MU cable. The relay alsocan be configured to open to decouple a portion of the MU cable disposedonboard the first vehicle with a remainder of the MU cable that isoff-board the first vehicle. The relay can be configured to close tocommunicate the analog control signals between the control systems ofthe vehicles via the MU cable during a time period that the relay isclosed and isolate the portion of the MU cable that is onboard the firstvehicle from the remainder of the MU cable during a different timeperiod that the relay is opened.

In one aspect, the device also includes one or more processorsconfigured to identify a fault onboard the first vehicle involving theMU cable and to communicate a fault signal via the network connector toanother vehicle of the vehicles. The fault signal one or more ofrepresents a location of the fault onboard the first vehicle and/oridentifies the first vehicle as associated with the fault.

In one aspect, the relay is configured to close responsive to thecommunication device turning off in order to maintain communication ofthe analog control signals along the MU cable through the first vehicleto one or more additional vehicles of the vehicle system.

In one aspect, the relay is configured to open responsive to thecommunication device turning on in order to prevent communication of theanalog control signals along the MU cable through the first vehicle toone or more additional vehicles of the vehicle system.

In one aspect, the analog control signals include network data modulatedin the analog control signals, and the device also can include networktransceiving circuitry configured to demodulate the analog controlsignals that are received along the MU cable and to communicate thenetwork data to the control system of the first vehicle.

In one aspect, the device also can include one or more output driversconfigured to apply a voltage to the MU cable onboard the first vehiclein order to generate one or more additional analog control signals forcommunication along the MU cable.

In one aspect, the device also can include one or more processorsconfigured to communicate the analog control signals via the analogconnector and MU cable and to communicate digital control signals viathe network connector and the communication network for one or more ofremote control of the first vehicle by another vehicle of the vehiclesin the vehicle system or remote control of one or more other vehicles bythe first vehicle.

In one aspect, the network connector can include an Ethernet connectorconfigured to couple the control system of the first vehicle with anEthernet network for communication of the digital control signals.

In one embodiment, a communication system includes a first communicationdevice configured to be disposed onboard a first vehicle of pluralvehicles in a vehicle system and a second communication deviceconfigured to be disposed onboard a second vehicle of the vehicles inthe vehicle system. Each of the first and second communication devicescan include analog connectors configured to be conductively coupled witha multiple unit (MU) cable that extends through and conductively couplesthe vehicles of the vehicle system for communication of analog controlsignals among control systems of the vehicles via the MU cable. At leastone of the first or second communication devices including a networkconnector configured to be disposed onboard the first vehicle tocommunicatively couple with a digital communication network of thevehicle system that is separate from the MU cable. At least one of thefirst or second communication devices includes a relay configured toclose and conductively couple the control system of the first vehiclewith the MU cable and to open to decouple a portion of the MU cabledisposed onboard the first vehicle between the first and secondcommunication devices with a remainder of the MU cable that is off-boardthe first vehicle. The relay can be configured to close to communicatethe analog control signals between the control systems of the vehiclesvia the MU cable during a time period that the relay is closed andisolate the portion of the MU cable that is onboard the first vehiclefrom the remainder of the MU cable during a different time period thatthe relay is opened.

In one aspect, the first communication device is configured to bedisposed closer to one end of the first vehicle than the secondcommunication device. The second communication device is configured tobe disposed closer to an opposite end of the first vehicle than thefirst communication device.

In one aspect, at least one of the first or second communication deviceincludes one or more processors configured to identify a fault onboardthe first vehicle involving the MU cable and to communicate a faultsignal via the network connector to another vehicle of the vehicles. Thefault signal one or more of represents a location of the fault onboardthe first vehicle and/or identifies the first vehicle as associated withthe fault.

In one aspect, the relay is configured to close responsive to one ormore of the first and/or second communication device turning off inorder to maintain communication of the analog control signals along theMU cable through the first vehicle to one or more additional vehicles ofthe vehicle system.

In one aspect, the relay is configured to open responsive to one or moreof the first and/or second communication device turning on in order toprevent communication of the analog control signals along the MU cablethrough the first vehicle to one or more additional vehicles of thevehicle system.

In one aspect, the analog control signals include network data modulatedin the analog control signals. At least one of the first and/or secondcommunication devices can include network transceiving circuitryconfigured to demodulate the analog control signals that are receivedalong the MU cable and to communicate the network data to the controlsystem of the first vehicle.

In one aspect, at least one of the first or second communication devicesincludes one or more output drivers configured to apply a voltage to theMU cable onboard the first vehicle in order to generate one or moreadditional analog control signals for communication along the MU cable.

In one aspect, at least one of the first or second communication devicesincludes one or more processors configured to communicate the analogcontrol signals via the analog connector and MU cable and to communicatedigital control signals via the network connector and the communicationnetwork for one or more of remote control of the first vehicle byanother vehicle of the vehicles in the vehicle system or remote controlof one or more other vehicles by the first vehicle.

In one aspect, the network connector includes an Ethernet connectorconfigured to couple the control system of the first vehicle with anEthernet network for communication of the digital control signals.

In one embodiment, a method (e.g., for communicating between vehicles)includes, responsive to activation of a communication device onboard afirst vehicle of plural vehicles in a vehicle system having a multipleunit (MU) cable extending through and conductively coupling thevehicles, opening a relay onboard the first vehicle to disconnect atleast a portion of the MU cable onboard the first vehicle from aremainder of the MU cable disposed off-board the first vehicle,receiving an analog control signal communicated via the MU cable at thefirst vehicle, and communicating the analog control signal to a controlsystem of the first vehicle as a digital control signal in order toremotely control movement of the first vehicle from another vehicle inthe vehicle system.

In one aspect, the method also includes opening the relay onboard thefirst vehicle responsive to detecting a fault in one or more of thecommunication device or the control system of the first vehicle.

In one aspect, the method also includes communicating a fault signalfrom the first vehicle to another vehicle of the vehicle system via adigital network of the vehicle system responsive to detecting a fault inone or more of the communication device or the control system of thefirst vehicle.

In one embodiment, a communication device for a first vehicle includesan analog connector configured to be disposed onboard the first vehicleand to conductively couple with a cable bus that extends through thefirst vehicle. The communication device is configured to conductivelycouple the first vehicle with one or more other vehicles of a vehiclesystem, for communication of at least analog control signals amongcontrol systems of the vehicles via the cable bus. The device also caninclude a network connector configured to be disposed onboard the firstvehicle to communicatively couple with a digital communication networkof the vehicle system that is separate from the cable bus. The devicecan include a relay configured to be disposed onboard the first vehicleand operable to a closed state and an open state. In the open state, therelay electrically disconnects a first portion of the cable bus from asecond portion of the cable bus. In the closed state, the relayelectrically connects the first portion of the cable bus to the secondportion.

In one embodiment, a communication device includes a cable bus disposedonboard a first vehicle and connected to at least one externallyaccessible analog connector to conductively couple the first vehiclewith one or more other vehicles of a vehicle system, for communicationof at least analog control signals between the vehicles via the cablebus. The device can include a network bus disposed on board the firstvehicle and connected to at least one network connector to conductivelycouple the first vehicle with the one or more other vehicles of thevehicle system, for communication of network data between the vehiclesvia the network bus. The device can include a relay electricallyconnected to the cable bus and operable to establish, in a first mode ofoperation, an electrical connection between portions of the cable bus oneither side of the relay, and in a second mode of operation, an opencircuit condition between the portions of the cable bus.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to beillustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-describedembodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination witheach other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt aparticular situation or material to the teachings of the inventivesubject matter without departing from its scope. While the dimensionsand types of materials described herein are intended to define theparameters of the inventive subject matter, they are by no meanslimiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will beapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the abovedescription. The scope of the inventive subject matter should,therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, alongwith the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Inthe appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used asthe plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and“wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,”“second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are notintended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, thelimitations of the following claims are not written inmeans-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted basedon 35 U.S.C. §112(f), unless and until such claim limitations expresslyuse the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void offurther structure.

This written description uses examples to disclose several embodimentsof the inventive subject matter and to enable a person of ordinary skillin the art to practice the embodiments of inventive subject matter,including making and using any devices or systems and performing anyincorporated methods. The patentable scope of the inventive subjectmatter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples thatoccur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such other examples areintended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structuralelements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, orif they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantialdifferences from the literal languages of the claims.

The foregoing description of certain embodiments of the inventivesubject matter will be better understood when read in conjunction withthe appended drawings. To the extent that the figures illustratediagrams of the functional blocks of various embodiments, the functionalblocks are not necessarily indicative of the division between hardwarecircuitry. Thus, for example, one or more of the functional blocks (forexample, processors or memories) may be implemented in a single piece ofhardware (for example, a general purpose signal processor,microcontroller, random access memory, hard disk, and the like).Similarly, the programs may be stand alone programs, may be incorporatedas subroutines in an operating system, may be functions in an installedsoftware package, and the like. The various embodiments are not limitedto the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the drawings.

As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceededwith the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding pluralof said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated.Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of theinventive subject matter are not intended to be interpreted as excludingthe existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate therecited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary,embodiments “comprising,” “including,” or “having” an element or aplurality of elements having a particular property may includeadditional such elements not having that property.

Since certain changes may be made in the above-described systems andmethods for communicating data in a vehicle consist, without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the inventive subject matter hereininvolved, it is intended that all of the subject matter of the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedmerely as examples illustrating the inventive concept herein and shallnot be construed as limiting the inventive subject matter.

What is claimed is:
 1. A communication device comprising: an analogconnector configured to be disposed onboard a first vehicle of pluralvehicles in a vehicle system and to conductively couple with a multipleunit (MU) cable that extends through and conductively couples thevehicles for communication of analog control signals among controlsystems of the vehicles via the MU cable; a network connector configuredto be disposed onboard the first vehicle to communicatively couple witha digital communication network of the vehicle system that is separatefrom the MU cable; and a relay configured to be disposed onboard thefirst vehicle to close and conductively couple the control system of thefirst vehicle with the MU cable, the relay also configured to open todecouple a portion of the MU cable disposed onboard the first vehiclewith a remainder of the MU cable that is off-board the first vehicle,wherein the relay is configured to close to communicate the analogcontrol signals between the control systems of the vehicles via the MUcable during a time period that the relay is closed and isolate theportion of the MU cable that is onboard the first vehicle from theremainder of the MU cable during a different time period that the relayis opened.
 2. The communication device of claim 1, further comprisingone or more processors configured to identify a fault onboard the firstvehicle involving the MU cable and to communicate a fault signal via thenetwork connector to another vehicle of the vehicles, wherein the faultsignal one or more of represents a location of the fault onboard thefirst vehicle or identifies the first vehicle as associated with thefault.
 3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the relay isconfigured to close responsive to the communication device turning offin order to maintain communication of the analog control signals alongthe MU cable through the first vehicle to one or more additionalvehicles of the vehicle system.
 4. The communication device of claim 1,wherein the relay is configured to open responsive to the communicationdevice turning on in order to prevent communication of the analogcontrol signals along the MU cable through the first vehicle to one ormore additional vehicles of the vehicle system.
 5. The communicationdevice of claim 1, wherein the analog control signals include networkdata modulated in the analog control signals, and further comprisingnetwork transceiving circuitry configured to demodulate the analogcontrol signals that are received along the MU cable and to communicatethe network data to the control system of the first vehicle.
 6. Thecommunication device of claim 1, further comprising one or more outputdrivers configured to apply a voltage to the MU cable onboard the firstvehicle in order to generate one or more additional analog controlsignals for communication along the MU cable.
 7. The communicationdevice of claim 1, further comprising one or more processors configuredto communicate the analog control signals via the analog connector andMU cable and to communicate digital control signals via the networkconnector and the communication network for one or more of remotecontrol of the first vehicle by another vehicle of the vehicles in thevehicle system or remote control of one or more other vehicles by thefirst vehicle.
 8. The communication device of claim 7, wherein thenetwork connector includes an Ethernet connector configured to couplethe control system of the first vehicle with an Ethernet network forcommunication of the digital control signals.
 9. A communication systemcomprising: a first communication device configured to be disposedonboard a first vehicle of plural vehicles in a vehicle system; and asecond communication device configured to be disposed onboard a secondvehicle of the vehicles in the vehicle system, each of the first andsecond communication devices including analog connectors configured tobe conductively coupled with a multiple unit (MU) cable that extendsthrough and conductively couples the vehicles of the vehicle system forcommunication of analog control signals among control systems of thevehicles via the MU cable, at least one of the first or secondcommunication devices including a network connector configured to bedisposed onboard the first vehicle to communicatively couple with adigital communication network of the vehicle system that is separatefrom the MU cable, at least one of the first or second communicationdevices including a relay configured to close and conductively couplethe control system of the first vehicle with the MU cable and to open todecouple a portion of the MU cable disposed onboard the first vehiclebetween the first and second communication devices with a remainder ofthe MU cable that is off-board the first vehicle, wherein the relay isconfigured to close to communicate the analog control signals betweenthe control systems of the vehicles via the MU cable during a timeperiod that the relay is closed and isolate the portion of the MU cablethat is onboard the first vehicle from the remainder of the MU cableduring a different time period that the relay is opened.
 10. Thecommunication system of claim 9, wherein the first communication deviceis configured to be disposed closer to one end of the first vehicle thanthe second communication device, and the second communication device isconfigured to be disposed closer to an opposite end of the first vehiclethan the first communication device.
 11. The communication system ofclaim 9, wherein at least one of the first or second communicationdevice includes one or more processors configured to identify a faultonboard the first vehicle involving the MU cable and to communicate afault signal via the network connector to another vehicle of thevehicles, wherein the fault signal one or more of represents a locationof the fault onboard the first vehicle or identifies the first vehicleas associated with the fault.
 12. The communication system of claim 9,wherein the relay is configured to close responsive to one or more ofthe first or second communication device turning off in order tomaintain communication of the analog control signals along the MU cablethrough the first vehicle to one or more additional vehicles of thevehicle system.
 13. The communication system of claim 9, wherein therelay is configured to open responsive to one or more of the first orsecond communication device turning on in order to prevent communicationof the analog control signals along the MU cable through the firstvehicle to one or more additional vehicles of the vehicle system. 14.The communication system of claim 9, wherein the analog control signalsinclude network data modulated in the analog control signals, andwherein at least one of the first or second communication deviceincludes network transceiving circuitry configured to demodulate theanalog control signals that are received along the MU cable and tocommunicate the network data to the control system of the first vehicle.15. The communication system of claim 9, wherein at least one of thefirst or second communication devices includes one or more outputdrivers configured to apply a voltage to the MU cable onboard the firstvehicle in order to generate one or more additional analog controlsignals for communication along the MU cable.
 16. The communicationsystem of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first or secondcommunication devices includes one or more processors configured tocommunicate the analog control signals via the analog connector and MUcable and to communicate digital control signals via the networkconnector and the communication network for one or more of remotecontrol of the first vehicle by another vehicle of the vehicles in thevehicle system or remote control of one or more other vehicles by thefirst vehicle.
 17. The communication system of claim 16, wherein thenetwork connector includes an Ethernet connector configured to couplethe control system of the first vehicle with an Ethernet network forcommunication of the digital control signals.
 18. A method comprising:responsive to activation of a communication device onboard a firstvehicle of plural vehicles in a vehicle system having a multiple unit(MU) cable extending through and conductively coupling the vehicles,opening a relay onboard the first vehicle to disconnect at least aportion of the MU cable onboard the first vehicle from a remainder ofthe MU cable disposed off-board the first vehicle; receiving an analogcontrol signal communicated via the MU cable at the first vehicle; andcommunicating the analog control signal to a control system of the firstvehicle as a digital control signal in order to remotely controlmovement of the first vehicle from another vehicle in the vehiclesystem.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising opening the relayonboard the first vehicle responsive to detecting a fault in one or moreof the communication device or the control system of the first vehicle.20. The method of claim 18, further comprising communicating a faultsignal from the first vehicle to another vehicle of the vehicle systemvia a digital network of the vehicle system responsive to detecting afault in one or more of the communication device or the control systemof the first vehicle.